sk among his ledgers and
account books. Diana de Laurebourg might pay him a visit as soon as
she liked, for he was quite prepared for her, for he had slipped on his
dressing-gown and placed his velvet skull cap upon his head, as if he
had not quitted the house that day.

"Why on earth does she not come?" muttered he.

He began to be uneasy. He went to the window and glanced eagerly down
the road; then he drew out his watch and examined the face of it,
when all at once his ears detected a gentle tapping at the door of the
office.

"Come in," said he.

The door opened, and Diana entered slowly, without uttering a word, and
took no notice of the servile obsequiousness of the Counsellor; indeed,
she hardly seemed to notice his presence, and with a deep sigh she threw
herself into a chair.

In his inmost heart Daumon was filled with the utmost delight; he now
understood why Diana had taken so long in reaching his house; it was
because her interview with the Duke had almost overcome her.

She soon, however, recovered her energy, and shook off the languor
that seemed to cling to her limbs, and turning towards her host, said
abruptly,--

"Counsellor, I have come to you for advice, which I sorely need. About
an hour ago--"

With a gesture of sympathy Daumon interrupted her,--

"Alas!" said he; "spare me the recital, I know all."

"You know----"

"Yes, I know that M. Norbert is a prisoner at the Chateau. Yes,
mademoiselle, I know this, and I know, too, that you have just met the
Duke de Champdoce in the Forest of Bevron. I know, moreover, all that
you said to the old nobleman, for I have heard every word from a person
who has just left."

In spite of her strong nerves, Diana was unable to restrain a movement
of dismay and terror.

"But who told you of this?" murmured she.

"A man who was out cutting wood. Ah! my dear young lady, the forest is
not a safe place to tell secrets in, for you never know whether watchful
eyes and listening ears are not concealed behind every tree. This
man, and I am afraid some of his companions, heard every word that was
spoken, and as soon as you left the Duke the man scampered off to tell
the story. I made him promise not to say a word, but he is a married man
and is sure to tell it to his wife. Then there are his companions; dear
me! it is most annoying."

"Then all is lost, and I am ruined," murmured she.

But her despair did not last long, for she was by no means the woman
t